 Match programme cover | |||||||
| Event | 2003–04 Football League Cup | ||||||
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| Date | 29 February 2004 | ||||||
| Venue | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff | ||||||
| Man of the Match | Boudewijn Zenden[1] | ||||||
| Referee | Mike Riley (West Yorkshire) | ||||||
| Attendance | 72,634 | ||||||
The 2004 Football League Cup Final (known as the Carling Cup final for sponsorship reasons) was a football match that took place on 29 February 2004 at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff. It was the final match of the 2003–04 Football League Cup, the 44th edition of the Football League Cup, a competition for the 92 teams in the Premier League and The Football League.
It was contested between Premier League sides Bolton Wanderers and Middlesbrough, both of whom had never won in their previous appearances in the final. Bolton's run to the final included a win away to holders Liverpool in the fourth round, while requiring extra time against Southampton in the next round and losing the second leg of the semi-final against Aston Villa. Middlesbrough needed extra time against Brighton & Hove Albion in their first game, and later advanced on penalty shoot-outs against top-flight Everton and Tottenham Hotspur; they then won home and away against league leaders Arsenal in the semi-finals.
Middlesbrough scored two goals in the first seven minutes, from Joseph-Désiré Job and a Boudewijn Zenden penalty. Kevin Davies got a goal back in the first half after an error by Boro goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, but Middlesbrough kept the score at 2–1 for their first major trophy. In doing so, they qualified for the 2004–05 UEFA Cup, their first European competition.